May 24, 1923
MUSICAL COURIER
10
THE APPLAUSE
By Romualdo Sapio
Copyrighted, 1923, by The Musical Courier Company,
show satisfaction will seem absurd and grotesque. And so it is. But we are used to the racket and find it perfectly correct.
The moral aspect is still more serious. The artist is confronted with a perplexing problem: “To be or not to be (applauded), that is the question.” If it were only a matter of pride and personal feeling, the issue would not be of very great consequence. But when success or failure are gauged by the amount of immediate approval expressed by hand-clapping, the artist cannot get along without it. He must strain every nerve to obtain it at all cost. No matter how great he is, the fear of not evoking sufficient approval haunts him from the first steps in the career to the last. It represents a detrimental factor in all his work.
As the ways of obtaining the applause of the public are not always legitimate and' conform with the true expression of art, so the temptation to resort to clap-trap and cheap effects is very strong. Few can resist it. The consequence is that often real art and artistic ideals are sacrificed on the altar of mere effect, for a passing acclamation which is but forced and unjustified. It is not uncommon to witness a night performance noisily acclaimed, followed by adverse criticism in the papers the morning after. Such reactions are inevitable.
Premier Mussolini of Italy, it is said, has urged the passing of a new law which will forbid noisy demonstrations of disapproval in the theaters, such as hissing, cat-calls, howls et similia. That is a step in the right direction. The next move should be to prohibit the applause. And why not?
The same reason in both cases suggests the same ruling, namely, the protection of that part of the audience which happens to be of a different opinion. As matters stand, anybody is allowed to express his opinion by means of noise. And when opinions are very much divided and feelings run riot, one section of the public applauds, the other hisses, and the neutral third part gets the worst of the conflict. Similar occurrences are not infrequent, especially in Latin countries. It is unnecessary to comment upon the propriety of the custom.
If the total suppression of the applause should prove a measure too drastic and extreme, why not arrive at it by degrees? Something else might perhaps be used, during the period of transition, instead of noise. The raising of the right arm, for instance, like the ancient Roman salute, the waving of hands—instead of clapping—or some other silent way of showing approval would be a decided improvement on present methods, until the day will dawn when public opinion alone will be considered as the real proof of failure or success.
give opportunity for public appearance, and to promote social intercourse among its members.
Orienta is a pleasing work, written in Mr. Fiqué’s usually fine style, and depicts in humorous manner many situations as we understand them to exist in a Turkish Pashah’s home and harem, several being intensely amusing. The music, which fits these situations, is descriptive and fascinating.
On Orienta, Mr. Fiqué has brought forth a work which gives every promise to become popular. The cast contained a large number of singers, all members of the Fiqué Choral. Katherine Noack Fiqué, as Mustapha Pashah’s niece, who was the outstanding artist, scored a decided success. Her vivacious temperament, together with her vocal art, won the admiration of the large and interested audience. Carl Fiqué conducted the performance admirably, holding the soloists, chorus and orchestra under absolute control.
The performance was followed by a dance which lasted until the wee-small hours of the morning.
Dora Hoffman Sings in Fort Smith
Dora Hoffman, an artist-pupil of Mme. Valeri who will continue her work under that distinguished teacher this summer at the American Conservatory, has received exceptional praise for her artistic singing. The following clipping appeared in the Fort Smith Times Record after Mrs. Hoffman’s concert at the Fort Smith High School:
“Those who were fortunate enough to be present at the high school assembly Thursday morning to hear Mrs. Dora Hoffman sing, enjoyed a half hour with a real artist. Her beautiful voice is well known to both Fort Smith and Van Buren, where she has always given her time and talent with such graciousness and generosity. The past two winters spent in New York seem to have given her voice an added brilliancy.
“She sang first, Pale Moon (Logan), which is both mystical and dramatic, and showed the rich quality of her middle register and her interpretative power. Night Wind (Farley), with words by Eugene Field, was a charming song and especially pleased the pupils. Sunlight, a waltz song (Harriet Ware), was given with a joyous abandon that was captivating. The finished detail of her coloratura work was delightful in the clear, even trill, and the flutelike quality of the high E flat.
“It is unusual to hear a voice like Mrs. Hoffman’s which combines the high range and flexibility of a coloratura with the warmth and power of a dramatic soprano.
“Friends hope that she can be persuaded to give a concert as soon as the Lenten season is over. Mrs. Hoffman was ably accompanied by Elizabeth Price Coffey, of the Southwestern Studio of Musical Art.”
Forty Appearances for Samaroff
Olga Samaroff’s appearance as soloist with the Philadelphia Festival Orchestra, under Dr. Thaddeus Rich, at the Spartanburg Festival at Spartanburg, S. C., on May 3 was her last of the season. Mme. Samaroff has made forty appearances during 1922-23, out of which nineteen were with orchestra. Besides these orchestral appearances Mme. Samaroff has been heard in recital in many cities throughout the United States, and has given several lecture recitals.
The craving for the applause of the world is as old as human vanity. All those who bestow applause and those who seek it are in turn givers and receivers. It takes infinite forms. From the hero worship of the nations to the stamping of feet accorded to the circus clown, it represents a stupendous gamut of emotions, joys and sorrows, noble efforts and base compromises.
To some people the applause spells Glory!—to some, Money!—and to the luckier ones it spells, Both 1
All, with rare exceptions, long for it, work for it, live for it, in some cases, die for it! Not long ago a famous Japanese actor, whose Oriental name I cannot remember, exasperated over the indifference of the public in his final scene of a drama where he had to execute himself in Japanese fashion, swore to conquer his audience at any cost, and one night he killed himself for good. The applause came, and it was his last. He had paid for it with hts life!
The emperor Nero, of bloody memory, was very sensitive to the applause of the crowds. Having among his doubtful accomplishments that of composing verses, he used to recite them in the theaters. On those occasions all his friends and attendants were ordered to be present and to applaud him. They were re-enforced by a number of hired spectators whose duty was to swell his success, and woe to the slackers, Nero was no trifler!
The modern claque, which after all is an old institution, does not run such high risks, and goes on merrily to the satisfaction of both parties: the contractor and the hirelings. But what about a third party: the real public? And what about real art and its dignity ? The real public is composed of all those persons who pay for their admission to any place of amusement and want to enjoy the performance undisturbed. They are willing occasionally to show their approval with applause, even to transcend, like all the rest, to wild demonstrations of enthusiasm when justified. But this only -because such is the custom. If some other means of showing approval could be adopted, they would not regret the present way, which is a residual inheritance of barbarism.
As for the damage which applause does to art, volumes could be written. The applause at musical performances needs to be considered under two distinct aspects: One is physical, the other moral.
The physical aspect is of a vulgar and disturbing char-aC-״r'i j״years_ to come, when supersenitive generations will look back into the past, they will wonder how their worthy ancestors could stand it! The idea of an audience interrupting a performance with noisy demonstrations to
WHAT IS BEING DONE AT THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY, ROME
An Interesting Letter from Howard Hanson, First American Prix de Rome—Works by Him, Sowerby and Randall Thompson Performed
The following interesting letter has just recently reached the Musical Courier from Howard Hanson, the first American to win the Prix de Rome competition, who is now studying at the American Academy there:
I have been working away and have completed my symbolic poem, North and West, which is for a very large orchestra with voices used in primitive fashion as orchestral instruments. It is decidedly northern in spirit, very free and irregular metrically and rhapsodically primitive in conception. Mr. Albert Coates was here two weeks ago and has accepted it for performance in London next season. I am dedicating it to him.
“Both Sowerby and I had hard luck with two of our scores My symphony and his Ballade were sent to New York about January 2, were lost in transit and showed up in Naples about three weeks ago! However I am thankful, as it was the only copy of my symphony in existence.
“At the present time I am in the delightful job of correcting parts.
Next May 17 1 have been asked to conduct a concert of American music with the Rome (Augusteo) symphony for the Academy. We will give Sowerby’s Ballade, Randall Thompson’s prelude to Pierrot and Cothurnus and my own E minor symphony. (Thompson will conduct his own number and I will conduct the remainder of the program.) It will be my first experience with a foreign orchestra and 1 am looking־ forward to it with keen anticipation.
“I have just accomplished something of which I am terrifically proud! Alvin Meyer, sculptor, and I scaled the Monte Portella, a peak of the Gran’ Sasso d’ltalia, the highest of the Apennines, in spite of the snow, wind and ice walls. This climb is supposed to be made only in July and August. About half way up we struck snow-covered ice walls and a terrific wind. We kept on with the aid of our ice pikes, skirting marvelous ravines filled with snow and ice. About a hundred meters from the top our guide stopped. He declared that the wind was too dangerous and that we couldn’t make the summit, so we left him below and scrambled to the top ourselves. Reaching the top we looked over into the Campo Pericoli, an eternal snow field, a thousand feet below us. The whole summit was a seething mass of whirling white, and when we removed our black glasses for a moment the brilliance of the white glare was overpowering. It was one of the most magnificent spectacles I have ever seen, a tremendous symphony in one tonality!
“Now I am down from the clouds again and hard at work.”
Carl Fique’s Orienta Presented
Orienta, a musical comedy in two acts—words and music by Carl Fiqué—was heard on Saturday evening, May 12, in Masonic Temple, Brooklyn, N. Y. The performance was given by the Fiqué Choral, a musical and social organization whose objects are to further the cause of music, to study choral singing, to encourage and develop talent, to
Photo by Apeda, N Y.
HUTCHESON
!
And the Supreme Court of American Criticism
(Re His 5 New York and 5 Boston recitals this past season)
Richard Aldrich (New York Times) He played with warmth, with passion, with tenderness, with nobility and grandeur.
H. E. Krehbiel (New York Tribune) His playing brought rapturous delight.
W. J. Henderson (New York Herald) Exquisite pedaling, intriguing ru-bato—What variety and charm!
H. T. Finck (New York Post)
Again he was inspired by the glory of the music, and delighted his hearers by his emotional reading. A superb interpretation!
Philip Hale (Boston Herald)
The moods and the capriciousness, the restlessness and the brooding, the vague longing, the sadness, and the shy confessions—these beautifully interpreted by the pianist, were felt by the audience.
H. T. Parker (Boston Transcript)
A playing rich and true, sensitive, eloquent.
For terms and dates Address
Loudon Charlton
Carnegie Hall, New York
Steinway Piano Duo-Art Records